Bandhan Bank Limited — Relieving Letter not received from Bandhan Bank Limited

Address: Adventz Infinity @ 5, Salt Lake Sector 5, Kolkata - 700091

Website: www.bandhanbank.com

This is to bring to your notice that I joined Bandhan Bank on 21/01/2019. I was graded Manager. I was located out o[censored]ltadanga Branch, Kolkata. My Last Working Day was 09/12/2022. My Employee ID was 153404

Bandhan Bank has made a mark in banking and is growing like anything but their staff welfare be it existing / former is far below expectation.

Relieving Letter not yet received from Bandhan Bank after 8 long months in spite of serving 3 months’ notice period and completing Exit Formalities on my last working day.

After 44 months of service to Bandhan Bank, I submitted my resignation on 12/09/2022 and system gave me 3 months of notice period and my last working day allotted by bank’s portal was 09/12/2022. Finally, on 09/12/2022, I received Mail from Team HR which stated that my LWD [Last Working Day] on 09/12/2022 and I am freed from my services. On 12/12/2022, I joined Utkarsh Small Finance Bank as Regional Sales Manager and am based out of Kolkata itself.

Now here is the hitch. I have not received my F&F and Relieving Letter from Bandhan Bank yet that too after 90 days of Notice and 8 Months post release.

On 03/12/2022, I met Ravi Singh and Mehul Thakkar, who are part of Risk Team of Bandhan Bank. They interrogated me about a Caveat Letter from a builder, Bablu Maity which was sent to Bandhan Bank, Ultadanga Branch. In April’2021, we funded Rs. 18, 00, 000 [eighteen lacs only] to a customer named Subhankar Biswas who took a flat in that builder’s project located at Kasba / Bosepukur Talbagan and disbursement was done after doing proper risk [RCU], taking 2 Legal Reports from 2 Advocates, Technical Report from Valuer. The case was disbursed in April’2021 but the builder sent that caveat in November’2022, which was 19 months after disbursement and registry. According to the Caveat, builder’s KYC and signature was forged at the time of registration of the said flat.

I always pointed out to Bandhan Bank that builder must have done the fraud but no one checked with the builder or even the customer. I was harassed badly. In fact they checked all my bank accounts I had with HDFC Bank and Bandhan Bank. They were thinking that I took money in the deal. They spoke such things that no banker has ever heard. They even questioned my relation with my brother, father and wife. That was a day I never want to remember. Post that interrogation, I questioned about my release and Ravi Singh assured that nothing will stop my release and that was why I submitted a written declaration. Copy of the same is with me too. As I was assured that my release will happen and I will get relieving from Bandhan Bank too so I completed all works and joined the new organization of 12/12/2022. I was sure to get Relieving Letter from Bandhan Bank in max 30 days’ time.

When I didn’t get my Relieving Letter, I immediately got in touch with my supervisors, Mr. Sandip Sarkar [Area Manager] and Mr. Rajib Chatterjee [Territory Manager]. First of all, I heard from HR Team that my supervisors are yet to submit my Exit Checklist in portal. When I confronted them, they told me that they were not able to trace 6/7 disbursed files and dockets, which they later found and in spite of their delay, they never admitted their fault in delayed submission of my Exit Checklist in portal and that too in March which was 3 months after my LWD. I could have never known their issues had I not mailed to Payroll Management. Post my supervisor’s confirmation, when I mailed Payroll Management on 27/04/2023 for my F&F and Relieving Letter, they replied on 02/05/2023 that my Relieving Letter has been put on hold by Discipline Management. Since then I contacted Discipline Management for completion of my exit formalities. After rigorous follow ups with Bandhan Bank, I was issued Charge Sheet on 04/05/2023, which too was 1 month post confirmation from Payroll Management, which I was supposed to reply in 7days but I replied on 4th day itself. I mailed with my response on 08/05/2023. Post that not a single response came from Bandhan Bank. I sent lot many mails but no reply to those ever came. On 15/05/2023, someone named Shashwata Gupta from Discipline Management of Bandhan Bank replied with an acknowledgement to my response to the Charge Sheet. Post that also I followed them up for resolution. On 01/06/2023, I received a mail from them stating that they have received another irregularity against me and investigation is under process. I always showed my presence to them for any sort of details / confirmation from my end...

Till date I have not received any mail from them defining any progress to the investigation happening against me. My present employer have stopped paying me and I am facing lot many financial issues and I am struggling to survive as I have to pay EMIs amounting to Rs. 48000 per month. I am also running family of 4 which also has my aged parents whose medical expenses are much higher. I was supposed to submit Relieving Letter of previous employer, Bandhan Bank in max 45-60 days post joining but still I have not submitted as same is not received from Bandhan Bank yet. My Salary is on hold and Job in Utkarsh Small Finance Bank is at stake. I have been given notice that if I don’t submit Relieving Letter by 31/07/2023, I will lose my job. I have loan to repay.

On 04/08/2023, I visited Head Office of Bandhan Bank which is located on the 14th Floor of Adventz Infinity @ 5, Sector 5, Salt Lake, Kolkata - 700091 and inquired about the status of my Relieving Letter. Couple of them from HR Team came and tried to console me saying that the investigation is under process and outcome will be soon available and post that my Relieving Letter will be issued. I tried to meet someone from Investigation Team / Discipline Management but no one came to meet me in spite of hand fold requests from me.

But I doubt that the exact status is not shared with me.

I have faced and still facing ultimate harassment from Bandhan Bank. These all are utmost conspiracy against me. I am mentally and financially tortured and harassed by Bandhan Bank. During my entire stay in Bandhan Bank, I have never indulged into any sort o[censored]nethical practices. I followed ultimate due diligence in all disbursements done at my end. I never slipped in Code of Conduct of the Bank. Had I not received LWD Mail from Team HR of Bandhan Bank on 09/12/2022, I would have stayed back in Bandhan Bank till investigations are over. I might not have faced such harassment and embarrassment from Bandhan Bank Limited.